‘Cartoon and Mythology’ Talk in Fethiye Attracted Great Interest

The event held in front of the Özer Olgun Cultural Center Exhibition Hall was attended by cartoonist Kutay Bilgihan Atabay as a speaker. During the talk organized within the scope of the cartoon exhibition "Heads," which opened the same day, the connection between cartoon art and mythology was discussed. Atabay stated that he learned to read and write through cartoon magazines and that he has been interested in comic art since his childhood. Despite becoming paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury from a traffic accident in 2010, Atabay expressed that he continued to create art and that cartoons and mythology hold a special place in his life.

“Cartoon and Mythology Are Integral Parts of My Life”

Speaking in the interview, Atabay stated that mythology played an important role in the development of his passion for drawing and mentioned that he previously wrote a mythology-themed book for children. Atabay said, "My interest in drawing was also influenced by mythology. I wrote a book called ‘Mit Misal Masal’ for children and illustrated it myself. There were two important things that connected me to life; one was cartooning, and the other was mythology."

Emphasis on Anatolian Culture and Mythology

Atabay stated that mythology holds an important place in the cultural memory of Anatolia and explained that he draws from this accumulation in his artistic works. Noting that the Anatolian geography has a cultural history spanning thousands of years, Atabay said, "We are the people of Anatolia. We come from a cultural blend that is thousands of years old. Mythology holds a very important place within this blend. It is possible to see its traces in our behaviors, speech, and traditions. I try to convey this cultural accumulation through my drawings."